Membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) is a transmembrane MMP that plays important roles in migratory processes underlying tumor invasion and angiogenesis. In addition to its matrix degrading activity, MT1-MMP also contains a short cytoplasmic domain whose involvement in cell locomotion seems important but remains poorly understood. In this study, we show that MT1-MMP is phosphorylated on the unique tyrosine residue located within this cytoplasmic sequence (Tyr The degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM)3 proteins by members of the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) plays a crucial role in several biological processes, including cell attachment, cell migration, invasiveness, cell proliferation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis (1-4). Among the various MMPs described to date, there is now considerable evidence that MMPs that are intrinsically associated with the plasma membrane because of the presence of a transmembrane domain within their sequence, the so-called membrane type MMPs, represent key components involved in pericellular proteolysis and subsequent cell locomotion and invasion (5, 6). The prototypical member of this family, MT1-MMP, actively participates in the remodeling of the pericellular ECM by acting as a cellular receptor and activator of proMMP-2 (7) and as a potent matrixdegrading protease that proteolyses a broad spectrum of ECM proteins (8 -10) as well as a number of cell surface-associated adhesion receptors (11,12). These events are likely to be important in vivo because MT1-MMP null mice fail to thrive and have a markedly reduced lifespan (13,14).In addition to its role in normal physiology, MT1-MMP is also overexpressed in many types of tumors (15, 16), and this overexpression appears crucial for tumor cell migration and invasion. For example, MT1-MMP-mediated degradation of some ECM proteins, such as the laminin-5␥2 chain (17), stimulates migration, whereas proteolysis of the dense, cross-linked meshwork of type I collagen fibrils by the enzyme confers neoplastic cells with tissueinvasive activity (18) and sustains tumor cell growth in otherwise growth-restrictive three-dimensional matrices (19).Despite its importance to normal physiology and in the development of malignancy, the mechanisms underlying MT1-MMP-mediated cell invasion remain incompletely understood. During cell migration, MT1-MMP localizes predominantly to the cell adherent edge at the migration front, an appropriate location for the degradation of the ECM barrier (20). In addition, we and others have shown that MT1-MMP is preferentially localized into caveolae, specialized domains of the plasma membrane (21,22), and this localization may contribute to the spatiotemporal regulation of its proteolytic activity by controlling adequate endocytosis and recycling of the enzyme (23,24).In addition to the importance of MT1-MMP-mediated proteolytic breakdown of ECM proteins for the induction of cell migration, recent studies suggested that the cytoplasmic domain of the enzyme may also play a role in this process. For example...

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Neuroblastoma (NB) is a typical childhood and heterogeneous neoplasm for which efficient targeted therapies for high-risk tumors are not yet identified. The chemokine CXCL12, and its receptors CXCR4 and CXCR7 have been involved in tumor progression and dissemination. While CXCR4 expression is associated to undifferentiated tumors and poor prognosis, the role of CXCR7, the recently identified second CXCL12 receptor, has not yet been elucidated in NB. In this report, CXCR7 and CXCL12 expressions were evaluated using a tissue micro-array including 156 primary and 56 metastatic NB tissues. CXCL12 was found to be highly associated to NB vascular and stromal structures. In contrast to CXCR4, CXCR7 expression was low in undifferentiated tumors, while its expression was stronger in matured tissues and specifically associated to differentiated neural tumor cells. As determined by RT-PCR, CXCR7 expression was mainly detected in N-and S-type NB cell lines, and was slightly induced upon NB cell differentiation in vitro. The relative roles of the two CXCL12 receptors were further assessed by overexpressing CXCR7 or CXCR4 receptor alone, or in combination, in the IGR-NB8 and the SH-SY5Y NB cell lines. In vitro functional analyses indicated that, in response to their common ligand, both receptors induced activation of ERK1/2 cascade, but not Akt pathway. CXCR7 strongly reduced in vitro growth, in contrast to CXCR4, and impaired CXCR4/CXCL12-mediated chemotaxis. Subcutaneous implantation of CXCR7-expressing NB cells showed that CXCR7 also significantly reduced in vivo growth. Moreover, CXCR7 affected CXCR4-mediated orthotopic growth in a CXCL12-producing environment. In such model, CXCR7, in association with CXCR4, did not induce NB cell metastatic dissemination. In conclusion, the CXCR7 and CXCR4 receptors revealed specific expression patterns and distinct functional roles in NB. Our data suggest that CXCR7 elicits anti-tumorigenic functions, and may act as a regulator of CXCR4/CXCL12-mediated signaling in NB.